Delaware Interscholastic

Athletic Association

2021 Joint Legislative Oversight &

Sunset Committee Presentation

February 10, 2021

DIAA JLOSC Presentation Team

Donna Polk, Executive Director

Dr. Bradley Layfield, DIAA Board of Directors Chair

Michael Rodriguez, DDOE Associate Secretary

DIAA Purpose• to preserve and promote the educational significance of interscholastic

athletics;

• to ensure that interscholastic athletics remain compatible with the educational

mission of the member schools;

• to provide for fair competition between the member schools;

• to promote sportsmanship and ethical behavior;

• to establish and enforce standards of conduct for athletes, coaches,

administrators, officials, and spectators;

• to protect the physical well-being of the athletes; and

• to promote healthy adolescent lifestyles.

DIAA OverviewDIAA is a self supporting unit operating under the Delaware Department of

Education. DIAA oversees middle and high school athletics for the state of

Delaware for public (traditional, vocational-technical and charter) schools and

non-public schools that choose to become members.

The DIAA Executive Director reports to the Associate Secretary of Student

Support and DIAA Board of Directors.

• DIAA must work in consultation with DDOE to ensure education based

athletics meets the mission of member schools

• DIAA must follow DDOE procedures and policies for day to day

operations

DIAA Board of Directors

6

1

1

2

2

3

3

2

Public Members

Physician

DDOE Representative

Nonpublic School Representative

Public School Athletic Director/Coach

Public School Principal

School Board Member

District Superintendent

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

19 Voting Members and 1 Nonvoting Member

Board Composition

DIAA Board Composition – Holdover Terms Board Member Title Date First

Appointed

Date

Re-appointed

Term

Expires

Robert Cilento

Cape Henlopen HS

Athletic Director

(Retired)

4/9/14 4/20/16 4/20/19

Matthew Donovan

Middletown HS

Principal 5/18/16 5/18/19

Vetra Evans Gunter

Smyrna School District

School Board

Member

5/18/16 5/18/19

Jeremy Jeanne

Delaware Military Academy

Athletic Director 6/15/16 6/15/19

Stan Waterman

Sanford School

School

Administrator

4/20/16 4/20/19

Robert Watson Public Member 4/20/16 4/20/19

DIAA Board Composition – Holdover Terms Board Member Title Date First

Appointed

Date

Re-appointed

Term

Expires

Evelyn Edney

Early College HS

Principal 3/26/14 4/5/20 4/5/20

Bruce Harris Public Member 5/10/17 5/10/20

Mike Hart

Salesianum School

Athletic Director

(Retired)

4/9/14 5/10/17 5/10/20

Doug Thompson Public Member 1/27/16 3/22/17 3/22/20

Vacant

(as of 11/1/19)

Public Member 3/26/14 6/7/17 6/7/20

DIAA Board Composition – Terms

Board Member Title Date First

Appointed

Date

Re-appointed

Term

Expires

Kathleen Andrus Public Member 4/25/18 4/25/21

Michael Breeding

Woodbridge School District

School Board

Member

3/6/16 3/6/19 3/6/22

Joseph T Laws

Colonial School District

School Board

Member

1/23/16 1/23/19 1/23/22

Courtesty Little Public Member 3/6/19 3/6/22

Dorrell Green

Red Clay School District

Superintendent 1/19/21 1/19/24

Amelia Hodges

Polytech School District

Superintendent 1/19/21 1/19/24

Bradley Bley

Physician

Medical Member 3/8/16 Indefinite

Michael Rodriguez

Associate Secretary

Department of

Education Designee

8/2017 Indefinite

DIAA Board Authority

DIAA Board of Directors Duties

• Establish annual membership fees

• Establish standing committees

• Determine violations and penalties of member schools

• Investigate and conduct hearings on violations of member schools, officials

and spectators

• Interpret rules and regulations and hear waivers

• Establish fees for officiating contests

DIAA Implementation Team

22 Committees(330 Volunteers)13 State Interpreters

Athletic Trainers School Nurses

School Administrators Athletic Directors

DIAA3 Staff

DIAA State Interpreters

Conduct annual rules clinics for coaches and officials

Provide rule interpretations for athletic directors and coaches

Attend NFHS State Interpreter trainings/webinars

Sport subject matter experts

DIAA State Interpreters

Sport Name

Field Hockey Vicki Rhodes

Football Andrew Bero

Soccer John Brady

Volleyball Kelly Callahan

Basketball Layne Drexel

Wrestling Joe Lobozzo

Swimming & Diving Kent Steeves

Sport Name

Softball Diane Carden

Baseball Tom Disharoon

Boys Lacrosse JP Bennett

Girls Lacrosse Jill Fitzcharles

Cross Country/Track Ralph Heiss

Unified Football Brian Contini

DIAA Committees

• 15 member committees

• Subject matter experts

• Serve 3 year terms

• Representatives from 3 counties

• Committees include administrators, athletic directors, coaches, officials and

public members

• Appointments and Reappointments are approved by the Board

• Sport Committees work with DIAA office staff to perform tasks related to

running the state tournament

• Committees adhere to the Freedom of Information Act, the Administrative

Procedures Act and the Department of Education’s rules and regulations

DIAA Standing Committees

Committee Committee Chair

Rules and Regulations Dr. Matthew Donovan

Sportsmanship Dr. Bradley Layfield

Sports Medicine Advisory Dr. Michael Axe

Officials Christopher Muscara

Unified Sports Jon Buzby

DIAA Sport Committee Chairs

Sport Committee Chairperson

Field Hockey Sharyn Wingate

Football James Comegys

Soccer – Boys Robert Bussiere

Soccer – Girls Robert Beron

Volleyball Nancy Griskowitz

Basketball - Boys Brian Fahey

Basketball – Girls Ruth Lajoie

Wrestling Buddy Lloyd

Swimming & Diving Mike Hart

Sport Committee Chairperson

Softball Diane Carden

Baseball Mike Hart

Boys Lacrosse Eric Torbert

Girls Lacrosse Debbie Windett

Cross Country George Pepper

Track Charlie Pollard

Tennis John Taylor

Golf Kathy Franklin

DIAA Mission

Resource

• 117 member schools

➢ 2020-2021: 62 high schools/55 middle schools

• 28,909 student athletes

➢ 2019-2020: 16,076 males/12,833 females

Compliance

• Rules/Eligibility Oversight

• Enforcement

DIAA Mission

Leadership Development

• Athletic Director Professional Development

• Student Athlete Leadership Conferences

Academic/Athletic Excellence

• 36 State Championships

Sportsmanship

Student-Athlete Health, Safety and Welfare

DIAA 2008 JLOSC Recommendations

Statutory Recommendation 1: Amend the statute to provide that 1 member of

the Board is a licensed Delaware physician and to add an additional

representative of school district boards of education, so each county has a

representative

• DIAA licensed physician continues to serve on the board

• DIAA has 3 school board members representing each county

Recommendation 2: Amend the current voting requirements so only changes to

the budget or regulations require 10 votes whereas all other decisions, including

waivers, require a simple majority

• DIAA continues to follow the established voting requirement when making

decisions

DIAA 2008 JLOSC Recommendations

Recommendation 3: Continue to work to tighten rules and regulations concerning

student recruitment for athletics

• The board continues to address regulations concerning recruitment and transfers

Recommendation 4: Continue to promote academic standards as criteria for

athletic eligibility

• At the beginning of each sport season athletic directors are required to submit an

eligibility report which verifies student athletes meeting standards for athletic

participation

• Any exception to the eligibility rule requires waiver approval

Enacted Legislation Impacting DIAA

House Bill 475: Established DIAA

• DIAA continues to operate under the established duties, powers and authority

Senate Bill 111: Required DIAA to develop regulations regarding the

appropriate recognition and management of concussions

• DIAA continues to require NFHS concussion course for all coaches every two

years and provides education on concussion management annually

• DIAA added the requirement to complete NFHS ‘s Concussion in Sports online

course for officials and certified, emergency and volunteer coaches effective

December 2020

Enacted Legislation Impacting DIAA

Senate Bill 205: Outlined procedures for dealing with sudden cardiac

arrest in student athletes.

• DIAA continues to annually provide sudden cardiac arrest awareness and

education training and adheres to the guidelines pertaining to sudden cardiac

arrest (Training has been used to save lives during sporting events)

• DIAA Rules and Regulations Committee will submit regulation amendments that

will require all coaches (certified, emergency and volunteer) to hold a current

cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification and address out of season

conditioning safety requirements to be consistent with in season safety

requirements

Enacted Legislation Impacting DIAA

House Bill 98: Established a waiver for those student athletes that choice

from one school to another

• DIAA continues to follow and enforce requirements pertaining to choice to choice

transfers

Senate Bill 241: Provided DIAA the authority to establish fees for

officiating

• DIAA receives officiating fee requests for review and approval

• DIAA’s most recent officiating fee increase was approved December 2020

Enacted Legislation Impacting DIAA

Senate Concurrent Resolution 79: Directed DDOE and DIAA to promulgate

regulations permitting coaches to coach student athletes out of season.

DIAA FISCAL INFORMATION

$0

$100,000

$200,000

$300,000

$400,000

$500,000

$600,000

$700,000

$800,000

$900,000

$1,000,000

FY22 (estimate) FY21 (thru 12/20) FY20 FY19 FY18

Revenues Expenses Beginning Year Cash Balance

DIAA FISCAL INFORMATIONFiscal

Year

Beginning Cash

Balance

Revenue

Collected

Expenses Total Ending Cash Balance

FY22 332,669.00

(estimate 7/1/22)

42,669.00

(estimate available

for FY22 start-up)

FY21 831,599.90 91,593.75

(as of 1/31/21)

498,930.00

(estimate FY21)

332,669.00

(estimate 6/30/22)

FY20 991,984.58 502,569.70 689,110.14 -186,540.44 805,444.14

FY19 969,540.04 778,262.73 784,851.39 -6,588.66 962,951.38

FY18 981,847.32 826,967.21 874,032.14 -47,064.93 934,782.39

DIAA

OPPORTUNITIES

Develop Strategic Plan

Board of Directors

Management

Increase Significance of

Education within Athletics

Regulation Restructuring

Equity

Increase DIAA Staff Size

Revenue/

Sponsorships

Community Involvement

DIAA

OPPORTUNITIES

DIAA Challenges

Regulations

• Approval by two different boards

Impacts of COVID-19

• Decrease in tournament ticket sales

• Communication challenges between and with stakeholder groups

• Out of state scheduling

• Reduction in games played

DIAA Challenges

• Non-tournament revenue

• Rising tournament costs

• Championship ticket prices

• Staff size

• Workflow processes

• Available facilities to host tournament games

• Non-school based teams

DIAA Considerations

• Restructure the process by which regulations are created and amended

• Consider additional board members

• Add a malfeasance provision

• Provide the authority to purchase insurance

DIAA Successes

DIAA & NFHS Student Leadership Conferences

Harry Roberts Student Athlete Scholarships

2019-20 Academic Award Recognition During Championships

Student & Spectator Safety➢ Concussion, Sudden Cardiac Arrest, Heat Illness, COVID

Increased Participation opportunities➢ Unified Sports for Students

➢ Girls Wrestling and Golf

DIAA Successes

Conducted 2019-2020 fall/winter championships amist staff transition

DIAA/DAAD Partnership - Athletic Director Training/Certification

Created Regulation during COVID-19 Pandemic

Increased brand awareness of DIAA’s mission and engagement through social

media

Transitioned to a new paperless registration and payment platform for DIAA officials

DIAA Benefits

Provide oversight for fair play

Provide health and safety requirements

Resource for member schools

Leadership development

NFHS guidance

NFHS publications and rule books

DIAA Benefits

Officials registration platform

Annual rule clinics for coaches and officials

Student learning outcomes

• Opportunity for student-athlete participation

• Scholarship opportunities

• Critical thinking skills developed

• Life skills learned

• Good sportsmanship

• Preparing future leaders

DIAA Reason Why…….